…the common Edo State citizens would not be deceived.
By Smart Odion Ehi
“Did You notice not a single picture of the Heavy Duty machine arriving any of axis of the Benin – Okene Road that has been shown to the people of Edo state?
Just some Men taking Group pictures”. Facebook user.
The All Progressive Congress, APC, gubernatorial candidate who have been clearly hiding from the media suddenly found himself a lone voice with the news of contractors arriving to commence the rehabilitation of federal roads in parts of Edo State that have been death traps and kidnappers playgrounds for over 8 years under the APC at the federal level.
Senator Monday Okpebholo, the hand-picked governership candidate of the APC from the arrays of brighter minds like Professor Osunbor was said to have lauded Mr President for swiftly mobilizing contractors handling the Benin-Ekpoma Auchi-Okpella-Okene-Lokoja road rehabilition. He stated in a press release yesterday, “President Bola Tinubu’s actions have demonstrated his responsiveness and commitment to alleviating the suffering of our people in his renewed hope administration.
“We expressed concern about the state of the roads between Benin-Ekpoma-Auchi-Okpella as leaders, and as such, we reached out to the federal government, including Distinguished Senator Adams Oshiomhole and the Minister of Works, His Excellency, David Umahi, who promptly swung into action.
“We raised the alarm about the deplorable state of the roads ahead of the rainy season, and we received this fantastic response from our president. It clearly demonstrates Mr. President’s sensitivity to our plight, as the contractors are already on-site to commence work. I can assure you that they have been tasked with delivering the highest standard and timely completion of the projects.
“I am in the governorship race because I want to serve the people of Edo state. I promise that, by the Grace of God, when elected, I shall lead a government based on the aspirations of the people. I will be a listening governor, attending to the needs of the people. I am here to serve, and I will do my utmost to elevate the state to greater heights under the renewed hope administration of President Bola Tinubu,” he affirmed.
I already knew that their planned visit to President Tinubu recently concerning the road, which was publicized widely, was to use the optics for the gubernatorial election in Edo State since the APC candidate have nothing else going on for him. He is shy of facing the electorates and whenever he does, which is seldom, the citizens always laugh away the terror it will be having such a character as their governor. They end up saying, “God forbid,” multiple times.
The rehabilitation of these federal roads cannot be used to play politics; they are not federal roads to Osadebey Avenue. The Edo State citizens are wiser than to be deceived by these elements parading themselves as interventionists.
Yes, we are happy that the federal government is taking up parts of the responsibility of rehabilitating these federal government roads, but the lukewarm gubernatorial candidate should look for more sophisticated thematic issues to compaign in Edo State. He should present clear-cut ideas on how he will tackle insecurity that is ravaging the entire nation today where scores of humanities are sent to their early graves daily. He should be able to present a road map to economic recovery through conscious efforts. What are his empowerment plans that will meet the needs of Small and Medium Scale Businesses in Edo State? It is not enough to allocate headlines to ‘paths to agricultural revolution’, or whatever is that his poorly directed campaign advertisment. He should be able to speak and tell us the specifics on intended agricultural interventions for the farmers in the state. How will he able to directly and indirectly spur food production in Edo State to a sustainable level? What are the bills he has sponsored all these 8 months as a sitting senator?
These are issue-based campaigns I am expecting from him, not the hurried use of the federal road rehabilitation he wants to lash on to revive his already opaquely viewed campaigns that cannot lead anyone to Osadebey Avenue come September.